Study calls for greater action to monitor trade in python skins

Striking colours and naturally occurring patterns have made snakeskin accessories a perennial favourite among the fashionable set.

It's estimated that nearly half a million python skins are shipped each year from South-East Asia to Europe where they are transformed into luxury versions of items such as shoes, belts, wallets and handbags.

But a recent report raises concerns about the sustainability of this trade, which is estimated at US $1 billion annually.